Reggie Jackson says there's too much showboating in baseball

Once upon a time, Reggie Jackson told a reporter that he was the straw that stirs the drink, referring to his status in the New York Yankees hierarchy. At the time the comment was seen as controversial and self promoting. But he backed it up, as his three home runs in Game 6 against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 1977 World Series proved.    

Now Jackson looks at the flamboyance and showboating of some players with disgust. Jackson says there's too much strutting and showboating by players that aren't any good.

"If you had talent," Jackson told USA TODAY Sports, "you could have style. There's nothing wrong with style. I had style when I hit (563) home runs. But you've got to build up some history.


"What I'm seeing these days, and some of the arrogance, I feel like walking up, and saying, 'What's wrong with you? You can't play. That's not style. It's a goofy act.'


"I know it's entertainment, but if you have style and can't play, then you're nothing more than a fool. I see a lot of fools out there."


"If some of these guys were as concerned with getting base hits and winning games as they were Twitter, maybe they could perform better and earn some style," Jackson said.


When I watch the game I do agree with Jackson although he sounds like a bitter old man. Not many of the players today could back up their bravado like Jackson could. The worse part is seeing lesser players always having their name in the news and it's not for their on field accomplishments.

If you can't play you shouldn't be out there making a spectacle of yourself.